


the flower begins to bloom

by shortcake15



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Multi, Poor Mipha, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmate Tattoos, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, link is hiding something, poor Revali, poor champions really, poor urbosa, pre and post calamity, zelda is dense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-12
Updated: 2018-02-25
Packaged: 2019-03-17 03:07:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13650150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shortcake15/pseuds/shortcake15
Summary: Zelda isn’t sure what to think about her soulmate tattoo- or her appointed knight.But as long as there are flowers, frogs, and food, things will be okay, right?(A retelling of BOTW, but with finding her soulmate added to Zelda’s many worries, and quite a few background ships)(...most soulmates don’t take 100 years to get together, right?)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have to admit, soulmate AUs have a special place in my heart, so I had to write my own! Please forgive me for the overused tattoo concept, I just really, really love the idea!

     Zelda knew that wishing to find her soulmate sooner rather than later was hopeless. After all, nothing about their meeting could be controlled, and no bond was guaranteed to be mutual- or even to last. Her own _parents_ were a demonstration that the matching tattoos didn’t always lead to perfect endings.

     She could remember- just barely- a time when the Hylian Retriever silhouettes on their shoulders were beautiful, something to draw hope from. But the vibrancy of the ink depended on the soulmates’ health, and with a pair as sick as the queen and as worried as the king, it wasn’t a surprise when their tattoos started to fade.

     By Zelda’s sixth birthday, her mother was gone, and so was the color in the dogs’ fur. After that…well, it was hard to keep on wishing for a happily-ever-after when the opposite surrounded her.

     Still, even though things didn’t work out perfectly for them, couldn’t they be different for her?

     Surely, the silent princess winding up her ankle meant _something_ , right? (Wrong. Especially when a Calamity was on the way.)

     She could continue on with those sorts of questions forever, write them down in her diary for good measure, but it wouldn’t do anyone any good. So she turned back to the entry she was working on- it wasn’t as matter-of-fact as she would have liked, but oh well.

      _Ah, but turning over these thoughts in my head puts me ill at ease. I suppose I should turn in for the night._

_P.S. Tomorrow my father is assigning HIM as my appointed knight…_

* * *

      Was it Link as a _person_ or just the concept of an appointed knight that Zelda disliked? She wasn’t quite sure.

     Regardless, she would have to travel with him to check on the Champions, and she was _not_ looking forward to it.

      _He_ had been the pride of the Hylian Knights since he was _four_.

      _He_ found the way through the fog to the sacred blade in the Korok Forest, and pulled it straight from its resting place the first time he tried.

      _He_ was everyone’s first choice when her father decided that she needed a glorified bodyguard. (she didn’t!)

      ~~Not to mention that he wasn’t exactly hard on the eyes, either.~~

     And here she was, still trying to figure out a power that was _apparently_ her birthright, and a tattoo that didn’t seem to lead to anyone.

      _Link_ was probably courting his soulmate already.

     She was probably some rich princess, with a ton of silver jewelry, who made him fancy armor and had been telling him _take care of yourself!_ and _don’t get hurt!_ since they were children…

      ~~That’s an awfully specific hypothetical girl…~~

     Some people had all the luck.

     He must already know that, and think himself far, far above her, because in the week since he’d been appointed, he hadn’t made a single attempt to talk to her.

     Even if she was a failure of a princess, would that really be so difficult?

     The two of them would have to visit Rito Village, Goron City, Gerudo Town, and Zora’s Domain, in that order. So what would they do to pass the time? At least the Champions would keep her mind off him…the fraction of the time they would be there.

* * *

      The first thing Zelda noticed about Revali was that he had no soulmate tattoo. It was quite random, and she had to wonder why her mind immediately picked _that_ fact out, but it was interesting nonetheless. They always showed up in relatively conspicuous places, so unless his thick scarf was covering it (which she doubted), he didn’t have one.

     (She only knew a handful of reasons why anyone would be _missing_ the tattoo. A young death before they could meet their would-be soulmate was the most common- and even that was quite rare - but there were also some cases in which an unlucky few went their whole lives without a mark or a partner)

     Realizing this made her feel _almost_ sympathetic when he droned on and on about his skill and the progress he’d made with Medoh for far longer than was necessary, because it was painfully obvious that he was trying to convince _himself_ of it just as much as he was trying to convince her.

      _Almost._

     Link recounted the story of his strange display on the Landing to her, and she had to use all her effort not to burst out in laughter.

      _Impressive, I know?_

_Very few can achieve a mastery of the sky?_

     What was this, a dramatic play?

     The Rito did love their musical theatre, so she supposed it made sense…

* * *

      She shouldn’t have snapped at Link.

     She felt _terrible_ about it, she _knew_ she had went too far, but the shrine _refused_ to open, her research was going _nowhere_ , her power was _still_ out of reach, her father _kept_ on bothering her, and an annoying _knight_ added to the mix was just too much.

     She saw _confusion_ in his eyes as she yelled, and his lack of any response only added to her guilt.

     …she would try a little harder to be civil next time.

* * *

      Zelda had only been in Goron City for five minutes, and she had already learned three new facts about the Gorons.

1\. Link was already an “honorary brother” among them, whatever that meant.

2\. Daruk, their Champion, was also the Boss of their mining system.

3\. They loved to eat. That is, eat _rocks_ , and a _lot_ of them.

     From the moment she and Link had entered the town, it had been “rock roast for everyone!”

     When the two of them explained that the purpose of this visit was to check on the Divine Beast and help Daruk make it work, he declared “sirloin rock to celebrate!”

     Though Link politely declined that offer, he demolished the mountain of roasted fish and mushrooms a nearby shopkeeper offered him. Maybe that shared love was why he got along with the Gorons so well…

* * *

      Kara Kara Bazaar was right ahead, she could see it, _there_ …

     Surely, they wouldn’t chase her into it…

     if she could just _reach_ …

     But she tripped on the sand, making herself a perfect target.

     The sunlight was reflecting off the Yigas’ sickles, making them look even sharper…

     What a terrible e-

      _Link?!?!_

     It didn’t seem possible. After how rude she’d been the other day, he had…come to protect her?

     Before she knew it, the Yiga had been driven off, leaving the two of them alone.

     For once, Zelda didn’t mind that.

     “Thank you,” she said quietly, and he acknowledged it with a nod.

     Well, at least it was a start.

     “Do you want me to follow you up to the town gates? You shouldn’t be by yourself, the Yiga might come back…”

     “Yes…I would prefer that…”

     The Gerudo Desert was brutal, but having Link at her side made it bearable.

     He really did deserve an apology…

* * *

 

     “A messenger from the bazaar told us that the Yiga Clan ambushed you on your way there. Are you alright?”

     “I got away without even a scratch. Link fought them off easily…”

     “ _Link?_ I thought you said that he would be staying behind, since he couldn’t get into Gerudo Town!”

     “It was definitely a surprise, but…”

     “But?”

     “ _But_ , I don’t know why he was following me! Like you said, he wasn’t supposed to. I am very, very lucky that he did, but it is a bit…strange.”

     “You…really have no idea?”

     “None at all.”

     “Not a single guess?”

     “I told you, no!”

     Urbosa sighed, fiddling with her bracelet (she rarely- if ever -took it off…according to local gossip, it covered a faded bird on her wrist, but Zelda had never seen the alleged tattoo). “You _are_ like your mother, aren’t you…you’re certainly as oblivious as she was…”

     “U- _Urbosa_! What is the meaning of _that_?”

     “What can I say, it’s the truth…”

* * *

 

     How did that old expression go? _The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach?_

     Well, that was certainly the case with Link. He was going through bowl after bowl of the soup she’d prepared for dinner.

     To be fair, the soup was warm and the night was cold, so that made sense. Even though she’d merely thrown it together with what she had (a few radishes along with some fruit from the desert) it had turned out creamy and sweet.

     Still, the meal was only half of her plan. “I…I just want to say that I’m sorry for how I treated you up to now.”

     “Is that why you made this? To get my forgiveness?

     “Well…” _Would that be so wrong?_

     “Because if you did, it’s working. This is _amazing_.”

     He smiled as he took yet another bowl, the first genuine one she had seen on his face, and it caught her by surprise.

     She could _feel_ the blush rising in her cheeks, and prayed to the goddess that he wouldn’t notice it.

     “Thank you…it’s nothing special, though…”

     “That doesn’t matter, I’m happy with any food.”

     “Certainly there must be _something_ you don’t like?”

     “Well…all right, frogs.”

     “ _Frogs_?”

     “They’re so _slippery_ and _disgusting_ and _strange_ …”

     “Is the one true hero, wielder of the sword that seals the darkness, _really_ afraid of something as _harmless_ as a cute little _frog_?”

     “ _No_ , I didn’t say I was _afraid_ of them, I’m _not_ , it’s just that… I don’t want to be around them. Ever. At all.”

     “Sounds like you _are_ scared…”

     “They’re also no good for cooking. My mother tried to make stew with them once...it smelled terrible…so I…”

     “Did you run away screaming?”

     “...possibly.”

     Zelda tried- and failed- not to burst out in laughter. “It-it’s not even the live  _thing_ , just a dish with it…you must be _so, so,_ _scared_ of them…I-I wonder if there are any around here…”

     “Let’s pray not.”

     “I’ll pray that there are…” She would have to find one to cook with- and tell him what it was while he was already eating!

     But did one good meal really mean that they were close enough for her to play pranks like that?

     “Why have we not talked like this before?” she wondered, more to herself than anyone else.

     “It may be my fault, I’m not exactly prone to conversation…”

     “You seem fine with it now!”

     “Well…this is…different.”

     “How come?”

     “It’s just us right now. Back in the castle-and especially among the Knights- there’s always somebody watching, judging- but I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that.”

     It was true, she knew it all too well.

     “Imagine if they were here. They would say that I shouldn’t be talking about _frogs_ with someone as far above my station as the _princess_. _Anything_ more than making sure you were safe and on the right path would be improper.”

     Hearing it said aloud stung a little, though she couldn’t exactly pinpoint why.

     “They‘re always on the lookout for mistakes, and they never forget a thing. So I try not to give them anything to scrutinize.”

     “...I see…” She had completely misjudged him. The guilt from the time she had yelled at him was flooding back, in full force…

     Neither could form a good response after that, so for what seemed like an eternity, their little campsite was silent.

     “A-anyway…tell me a bit about yourself. What’s your family like? Who are your friends? How about your soulmate?”

     “My father was part of the Royal Guard before he became the Hylian Ambassador to the Zora. My mother stays with my sister, Aryll, at our house in Castle Town, watching birds with a telescope all day. I have one friend- my horse, her name’s Epona- and…no soulmate.”

     “...oh…”

     She had always assumed that his long sleeves and pant legs were covering a tattoo that matched with a girl he knew and loved- and that all of Castle Town was lining up to befriend him and his family. Having those ideas turned on their axes so suddenly was a bit…disconcerting.

     “I sometimes joke that Epona is my soulmate, though. She’s constantly following me around, and always seems to know wherever I want to go next.”

     “That sounds quite nice…I’ve never bonded with a horse like that, they don’t seem to like me very much…”

     “The trick is to soothe them as you ride. Be gentle, tell them that they’re a big help, that you appreciate their company…that’s the only way they’ll know how you truly feel.”

     “Do they actually understand that?”

     “Oh, yes. When we first met, Epona hated me, but I fed her a few apples, and she started to warm up.”

     “I get it…your horse is a glutton, just like her rider!”

     “That is _not_ true!”

     “Oh, _really_?”

* * *

 

     Just in case they needed a reminder that there was a Calamity on the way, the pile of monster corpses on the hill and the wound on Link’s arm served perfectly.

     “That cut doesn’t look too bad, actually. You’re fine for now. But we should still get you to Mipha as soon as possible.”

     “It’s _okay_ , don’t rush, and _definitely_ don’t worry.”

      “Do you not realize, saying that makes me worry _more_?”

     “Well…”

     “ _Well_ , there’s a fine line between courage and recklessness. You’re _not_ immortal and I _don’t_ like seeing you hurt.”

     “Oh, _come on_ , it’s _one cut!_ ”

     “One cut this time, but what about the next? The frequency of these types of attacks are on the rise, the scale of beasts we are facing is intensifying…I- I fear that this is an omen.”

     “You shouldn’t focus on that right now-”

     “Hurry up, we’re taking a shortcut to Zora’s Domain.”

* * *

     “Link is all right. I was able to treat that cut fairly quickly, but he needs to rest.”

     The Zora princess was exactly the type of girl who Zelda had expected Link’s soulmate to be.

     So why was she surprised to see the sword on her forearm?

     Impa had always told her that staring was rude, but she couldn’t help it. The tattoo was a perfect replica of the Master Sword, down to the rust on its blade when Link first drew it!

     Mipha noticed her gaze right away- it was her own fault, she had never been subtle- and gave her a sad smile. “Sidon, why don’t you go practice your swimming?”

     He nodded, running off and leaving them alone.

     “I suppose it’s obvious that my tattoo represents Link,” she said with a sad smile. “We’ve known each other for so long, I’m not even sure when I realized it.”

     Zelda didn’t reply, but her eyes said _continue_.

     “And it’s also obvious that the two of us are not meant to be.”

      _Why? He has no tattoo, you can at least try…_

     But this didn’t seem like the right time to bring that up.

     “I only hope that you will have better luck with your soulmate…”

      ~~She wouldn’t realize the irony of those words until it was too late.~~

* * *

 

 

     Why was Lanayru-or more specifically, the section of Lanayru around Zora’s Domain- always so rainy?

      _The goddess is crying,_ Zelda thought bitterly, _and I might just join her._

     “Look, there’s an overhang over there. It could be a good place to take shelter,” Link pointed out.

     At least one of them was thinking.

     “I doubt this will let up anytime soon,” she groaned when they finally reached it. “And you’re soaked!”

     “It’s not that bad!”

     “Your tunic is _drenched_ , and your boots are covered in mud!”

     “I wouldn’t say _covered_ …”

     “Do you have a spare pair? You really should change them.”

     “I do, but…”

     “Then why aren’t you taking them out?”

     “They’re fine, I don’t need to!”

     “Surely you can’t be serious. I’m starting to get confused about whether tan or dark brown is their proper color!”

     “I don’t want to carry wet boots around in my bag!”

     “I thought the Great Fairy had enchanted that bag! Stop making excuses!”

     “... _No_.”

     “A-all right, then.”

     It was quite strange, but she never asked him to change his boots again.

* * *

 

     “The flowers we have in Hyrule aren’t just beautiful…they also serve as ingredients for a variety of things!”

     The warm, sunlit field, as well as the memory of the last time they had talked about ingredients, brought a smile to Zelda’s face.

     “This one here is called the silent princess. It’s a rare, endangered species.” _And the one tattooed on my ankle._

     To Link’s credit, he at least _pretended_ to show interest in botany.

     “Despite our efforts, we can’t get them to grow domestically yet. The princess can only thrive out here, in the wild.”

     It was so much like Zelda herself. She had thought that this trip with Link, to the farthest reaches of the continent, would be terrible, an extension of her father’s control. But now that it was nearing its end, she was starting to realize that it was, in fact, liberating- and far more enjoyable than she’d expected.

     “All that we can hope is that the species will be strong enough to prosper on its own.”

     Suddenly, she wasn’t talking about the flowers anymore.

     Her worry, her unspoken hope, was interrupted by a creature hopping past.

      _Hopping?_

     “Is that what I think it is? Look at this!” She turned towards him, showing it off.

     “I don’t believe it, but I actually caught one!”

     “What is i- _a f-frog!?_ W-wait, you know how I feel about them-”

     He tried to get away, but she wouldn’t let him.

     “It’s a delicacy, you know! With very, very potent effects…I wonder if eating one would make you faster! Or maybe boost your stamina!!”

     “I-I’m sure it would, but I don’t need it right now, just let it go, _please_ …”

     “You would be a perfect candidate for the study! Go on! Taste it!”

     “ _No, no,_ _absolutely_ NOT!!!!!!”

     It turned into a drawn-out chase through the field- Zelda trying to capture her test subject, and Link running for his life.

     Eventually, the little frog escaped from her hands, so she had to stop.

     “It-it got away, you don’t have to eat it…”

     “Thank Hylia for that.”

     “I’m sure it wouldn’t be that bad…”

     “For me, it would be!”

     There were silent princesses surrounding them here too, and as they laughed and talked (and in Link’s case, recovered), she took out the Sheikah Slate to take a picture of one.

     Zelda didn’t mention it, but there was a legend about them- of a long ago princess who was too shy to confess her feelings for the man she loved in words, so she gave him bouquets of flowers instead, hence the name - and from that day on, silent princesses were used to represent love.

     Love that had just started to bloom.


	2. Chapter 2

      _Home, sweet home…_

     Hyrule Castle had never looked so warm, so welcoming, until she was coming back to it from a long trip.

     Just the sight of it brought up thoughts of pastries from the kitchens, petting her father’s dogs, naps in her own bed, and beautiful new dresses…but those weren’t her first priorities.

     The bridge outside of her study provided the perfect spot to watch the Guardians- which were even more impressive than the last time she’d seen them. At that very moment, one was following a Sheikah man through the field below.

     “Incredible…we’re at a point now where we can actually control them! They’ll certainly be very use-”

     “Zelda.”

     She spun around, only to be faced with the king.

     Forget everything she had said about _welcoming_.

     “It is good to see you back again.”

     “Likewise…”

     “Did anything of note occur while you were traveling?”

     “Revali has managed to make Medoh perform aerial stunts, and Mipha can get Ruta to swim, despite its immense weight. The Divine Beasts truly are amazing-”  
     “Studying ancient technology is Purah and Robbie’s job, _not_ yours. I was referring to something more personal.”

     “...personal?”

     “As the princess, you currently have a crucial, unfulfilled responsibility to your kingdom.”

     “Which is?”

     “Seeing as I’ve _long_ given up on getting _you_ to unlock your sealing power, I was hoping that you could at _least_ produce an heir who could. Have you met your soulmate yet?”

     “No…”

     “That was half of the reason I sent you on that trip. So that _maybe_ you’d find him.”

     “You _know_ that is _not_ within my control!”

     “Technically, that is true, but you could _attempt_ to do so- talk to more people, ask about your tattoo, instead of playing _scholar_.”

     “How old were you when you met Mother?”

     “That is completely irrelevant-”

     “ _Twenty-four._ And you expect me to have found my soulmate at _sixteen_?”

     “Not if you’re here, wasting your time. You must be _single-minded_ in unlocking the power that will seal Calamity Ganon away.”

     “I already _am_! Link and I _just_ came back from the Spring of Courage, where I offered up _every ounce_ of my prayers to the Goddess! But she revealed _nothing_ to me! Don’t you see, there is _nothing more_ I can do!”

     Nothing that didn’t result in a complete loss of her dignity, that is.

     “No more excuses. As the king, I forbid you to have anything to do with the Divine Beasts or the Guardians from this moment on. I _suggest_ that you leave the castle…however, be sure to come back before the ceremony next week…maybe the Champions will talk some sense into you then.”

      ~~How could they, when the only one of them who had a mutual soulmate was _Daruk_?~~

* * *

 

     Thank _Hylia_ that Link was waiting in her room.

     “Are you alright? Not to be rude, but your expression right now is reminiscent of Death Mountain before an eruption...”

     “It was the _king_ ,” she spat.

     “I see…your father seems like the strict type, I definitely wouldn’t want to upset him…”

     “He told me in no uncertain terms that I needed to hurry to meet my soulmate, so that our _child_ could seal away Ganon. _However_ , that meeting is _completely_ out of my control, I can’t even _think_ of being a mother, and I don’t even _want_ to get into a relationship with my soulmate!”

     “You…don’t?”

     “To be honest, no.”

     “Oh…”

     Why did he look so disappointed to hear that?

     “That sounds strange, doesn’t it? But…that would ruin what I have right now…there is already someone I care deeply for, and…he’s not my soulmate.”

      _Take a hint, for Hylia’s sake, you KNOW I haven’t been spending time with anyone else recently…_

     “Well, that’s nice…I’m happy for you…”  
     He _still_ didn’t understand…she would have to go a step further.

     “Have you…ever been in love?”

     Her question was blatantly obvious, but she didn’t care.

     “Once.”

     She waited for an explanation, but it didn’t come.

     “And did you feel bad that you weren’t soulmates?”

     “Actually, not as much as I expected.”

     Again, he didn’t elaborate on that.

     “Well, I guess you understand what I mean, then.”

     “I guess…”

     Not _one_ sufficient answer in the whole conversation. What was _wrong_ with him?

     “Listen, I _really_ don’t want to stay here with my father, so I plan to head to the Spring of Power as soon as possible. You’ll come with me, right?”

     “Of course.”

* * *

 

     Once again, her prayer for help fell on deaf ears.

     It was no surprise. That was just the way things had been since she was a child; why would anything change now?

     Link was waiting no more than a few feet away. But standing in the frigid water, in her thin dress, with the statue’s grin taunting her from above, Zelda felt bitterly alone.

      _Please, just tell me._

_What is so wrong?_

_What about me isn’t enough for you?_

     When Link finally pulled her out of the spring, she only scoffed.  
  
      _You’ve been in there far too long! I don’t want you to get sick!_

_Here, take a warming elixir._

_What? NO, I will NOT put you back!_

     He didn’t know how being deemed _not enough_ by the goddess felt…his problems stemmed from being _too much_.

      _It’s okay, maybe next time, you’ll find something._

 _Believe in yourself, and I’m sure your power will come._  
  
     They were hollow words, and both of them knew it.

* * *

     “Zelda! My little bird! It has been too long since we last saw each other.”

     “Only three weeks, actually…”

     “My mistake… _far_ too long.”

     Urbosa’s warm embrace was the perfect remedy after the failure of a trip.

     “Did the Spring of Power awaken your power?” Daruk joked, but nobody laughed.

     “...no…”

     “I’m so sorry…I wish there was something we could do…”

     “It’s okay, I’ve always known that it’s hopeless-”

     “You’ll regret those words when Ganon is sealed away. _Anything_ can be done, with a bit of work, of course…”

     The others were surprised, but they should have known- Revali had _always_ refused to declare _any_ cause impossible- ~~with one exception, but it was the goddess who had done that for him.~~

     “I don’t believe it, _Revali_ is being motivational and uplifting for the first time…”

     “And the last, too.”

     “Will you repeat that for me? I want to get it on video with the Sheikah Slate…”

     “ _No_.”

     “Why not?”

     “Because I _said_ so, _and_ because we’re all about to be late to our own ceremony.”

     “Oh, _right_ …hurry up! My father is waiting to start…”

     “Some Champions _you all_  are.”

     “I don’t see _you_ at the right place either!”

* * *

 

     The ceremony passed quickly- all it involved was the king declaring that the Champions and their Beasts were fit for battle, and officially bestowing blue outfits upon them.

     It was a bit much- but then again, so were their titles.

     Soon enough, they were in the courtyard, where Daruk was complaining about the formality, Revali was pretending not to be impressed by the Slate, Urbosa was talking about its functions, Mipha was asking to try it out, Link had gone silent again, and Zelda?

     Zelda didn’t care about a moment of it.

     She smiled when Purah- always energetic, always showing off the blue cherry on her hand with her _Click, snap!_ pose- took their picture, but her thoughts were elsewhere.

     Tomorrow, she would be seventeen, and she would have her last chance.

     Lanayru’s decree had banned everyone under seventeen from visiting her Spring of Wisdom, so it was the only place left for her to pray.

     Seeing as the Triforce of Wisdom was so often associated with the princess of Hyrule, maybe, just maybe, it would be the one to bring her powers out?

     She didn’t want to even think of what would happen if it couldn’t.

* * *

 

      _Please, please, give me SOMETHING._

_I know the Calamity is near, I can feel it._

_I beg of you, grant me the power to keep my kingdom safe…_

     Nothing.

     But she already knew that would happen, after seventeen years of the same thing.

     Had it even been worth coming to the spring?

     The water was so cold... 

     ...so, so cold......

      _Zelda?_

    _…who is that, their voice is so far away…_

_“Zelda??”_

_…what’s going on, why are they screaming at me…_

     “ZELDA???”

     “......Link?”

     “Thank Hylia, I’m pretty sure you were about to faint.”

     “I highly doubt it was that bad-”

     “It _was_.”

     If she ever went within a mile of any sacred body of water again, it would be too soon for him.

* * *

 

     “Are you alright?”  
     “I’m _fine_ , just like the _seven_ other times you asked me that.”

     “Eight, actually.”

     “ _Why_ are you even _asking_?”

     “Because it’s your birthday- your _seventeenth_ birthday, which tends to be important, marked by a celebration -and you haven’t smiled once.”

     “We just left the spring, my last chance, and it didn’t give me the power to stop the Calamity. You want me to _smile?_ ”

     “It would help, yes.”

     “What reason is there for _that?_ ”

     “Well, there’s carrot cake. I baked it earlier, before we left!”

     “CARROT CAKE? How-how did you-”

     “Back when we stopped in Kakariko Village, Impa told me it was your favorite, and gave me the recipe. Hold on…okay, here it is!”

     “W-wait a second, that’s not carrot cake!”

     “Huh?” He took a closer look at the container he’d taken from his bag.“Oh...well, I _may_ also have prepared pumpkin pie for myself…”

     “Always the glutton…”

     “I _could_ always eat the cake too…”

     “Sorry, sorry, I’ll stop!” She waited (im)patiently for him to get it out.

     “Found it! Here you go, happy birthday!”

     “Thank you very much!”

     Carrot cake was sweet, but the hug she gave him when he asked if she liked it was sweeter.

* * *

 

     The taste of swift carrots and vanilla frosting was still on her tongue when she met the Champions at the Lanayru East Gate.

     “Well, don’t keep us in suspense. How’d everything go up there on the mountain?”

     She answered with a slow shake of her head.

     “So you didn’t feel _anything_? No power at _all_?”

     “I’m sorry, no.”

     “Then let’s move on. You’ve done all you could…feeling sorry for yourself won’t be of any help. After all, it’s not like your last shot was up there on Mount Lanayru. _Anything_ could finally spark the power to seal Ganon away. We just have to keep looking for that p- _thing_.”

     Zelda _wished_ she could agree.

     “If I may…I thought you…well, I’m not sure how to put this into words…I’m actually quite embarrassed to say it, but I was thinking about what I do when I was healing. You know, what usually goes through my mind…”

      _Just get to the point, please._ It was _obvious_ what Mipha was about to say, she kept on glancing at her sword tattoo…

     “It helps when I- when I think about-”

     Mipha never got to finish that sentence.

     All six of them stumbled from the sudden shockwave. Revali immediately flew up to check what was going on, and his panicked expression when he returned confirmed their worst suspicions.

      _It’s awake…_

_Ganon!_

     “Let’s stop wasting time. We’re going to need _everything we’ve got_ to take that thing down. Champions! To your Divine Beasts! Show that swirling swine who’s boss!”

     The directions came naturally to Daruk, as easily as the orders he gave in the mines.

     “Link will need to meet Ganon head on when we attack! This needs to be a _unified_ assault!”

     He glanced over at Revali as he said that- who in any other situation, would have called him out on it. _“I AM capable of showing unity!”_ …or something like that.

     “Little guy! Get to Hyrule Castle! You can count on us for support, but it’s up to _you_ to pound Ganon into oblivion!”

     Urbosa nodded, taking Zelda by the hand. “Come. We should go. We need to get you someplace safe.”

     “ _No_! I am _not_ a child anymore. I may not be much use on the battlefield, but there must be _something_ I can do to help!”

     If only _something_ meant sealing Ganon away.

* * *

 

     “How…how did it come to this?”

     Mipha. Urbosa. Revali. Daruk.

     She would never forget their friendship, or their sacrifice.

     Everything had started according to plan. All four Beasts were in position, right on schedule- just waiting for the perfect moment.

     The first- and last- clue that something had went wrong was the sickly pink light appearing from within Vah Rudania.

     Vah Ruta had joined it in a matter of moments.

     At that point, Zelda could only watch with dread as Vah Naboris and Vah Medoh followed.

     “Calamity Ganon… turned them all against us…”

     It was often said that rain was the fallen tears of the Goddess. But the storm right now belonged completely to the Champions- ~~whatever was left of them, anyway.~~

     Mipha’s guilt poured down in waves.

     Daruk’s regret could be heard with every thunderclap.

     Revali’s disappointment swirled around with the cold wind.

     Urbosa’s rage strengthened each lightning strike.

     Of _course_ they had failed.

     After all, a leader as lacking as _her_ could never bring their group to success.

     “Everyone is trapped inside those things…and it’s all my fault! All because I couldn’t harness this cursed power!”

     They were _counting_ on her, they _trusted_ her, even when she didn’t trust herself, and what did that get them?

     “Everything we’ve done up until now…it was all for nothing!”

     Link didn’t make any attempt to tell her to _get up_ or _keep on moving_ like any _reasonable_ knight would…just kept her from sinking deeper into the mud as she cried.

     He was another friend who supported her without question -another name on the growing list of people she had failed.

* * *

     What did it take to stop an mechanical army that never tired?

     The answer was simple- a knight who refused to give up.

     They’d been attacked at Fort Hateno, and though he was obviously exhausted, Link was still standing between Zelda and certain death.

     “Save yourself! _Go!_ ”

     He wouldn’t budge.

     “I _mean_ it, too many lives have already been lost…”

     “Yours isn’t going to be one of them.”

     “As your princess, I am ordering you to leave.”

     “As your appointed knight, I am obligated to stay with you.”

     “Link, NO-”

     The Guardian’s telltale red light had been switched on…it would only be a matter of seconds before the beam followed…

     “No, _STOP!!!!!!!!_ ”

     Her right hand had started to shine with the mark of the Triforce, a light that spread and spread and spread……wiping out all traces of the Malice.

     “Was that…the power?”

     Finally, it had been awakened- but it was too late.

     Yes, the Guardians had collapsed…but so had Link.

     “No, no, no…I will _not_ lose you too, _get up!_ ”

     He didn’t.

     Zelda didn’t look at the mud on his clothes, the wound on his side, the Master Sword on his back, or anything else that would be of relevance.

     Her eyes went straight to his feet.

     The very same boots that he adamantly refused to take off earlier (it felt like a lifetime ago) had been reduced to tatters.

     He was going to be so mad when he got up…

      ~~If he got up...~~

     Hopefully, he had spares…these seemed beyond repair. The patches that weren’t singed by the lasers or covered in mud were full of holes…

     …holes that revealed part of a single silent princess around his ankle.

     She would recognize it anywhere, there was no need to check, but she glanced back at her own tattoo anyway.

     They matched perfectly.

     “So…Link…was…we were soulmates, all along?”

     If she didn’t say it aloud, it wouldn’t sink in…it was so _ridiculously_ unbelievable that it made _perfect_ sense.

     The only reply was a Guardian beep in the distance, as if to say “Yes, you _idiot_.”

     “Why would he lie about something like that?”

      _Maybe because you were terrible to him when you first met, don’t you think_

_But we got closer, right? We talked more and more often, but he never said a word about it…_

_Do I really make that bad of a soulmate?_

_…No, no, that’s not it._

_“Anything more than making sure you were safe and on the right path would be improper”, remember?_

_“Your father seems like the strict type, I definitely wouldn’t want to upset him.”_

     Her father had constantly been telling her to find her soulmate, while her soulmate hid his tattoo because he thought he would disapprove. If she had realized this under better circumstances, she would be laughing about the irony for _hours_.

     There was no way she could stop herself from staring. It really was remarkable how similar the two tattoos were…

    _…wait._

     The flowers were still bright, bright blue. ~~The color of Link’s eyes, she realized, it was _so, so,_ obvious now.~~

      _They hadn’t faded._

     “So…he can still be saved?!”

     His sword- the sword -had started to glow, making a silent promise.

     For once, Zelda knew exactly what she needed to do.

     Two Sheikah men were rushing towards her, and when she asked them to bring Link to the Shrine of Resurrection, it was with _hope_.

* * *

 

     “Your master _will_ come for you. Until then, you shall rest safely here.”

     She felt a bit silly talking to a sword and being watched by a tree, but their situation was nothing to laugh about.

     “Although the Slumber of Restoration will most certainly deprive him of his memories, please trust me when I say that I _know_ he will arrive before you yet again.”

     He _had_ to.

     “If I may be so bold…what is it that you are planning to do next, Princess?”

     “I must face Ganon, and keep him restrained until Link comes back.”

     There was no hesitation, simply because there was no other choice.

     “Great Deku Tree, I ask of you…when he returns, can you please relay this message? Tell him I-”

      _I need him back/I am so sorry/I will be waiting for him_

     “Now, then…words intended for him would sound much better in the tones of your voice, don’t you think?”

     “...yes.”

     And in spite of everything, she smiled.

     She returned the sword to its pedestal, and prayed that its owner would return.

     The Goddess had never answered her requests before, but there was a first time for everything, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I think you all saw that reveal coming.  
> Looks like this is going to go on for one more chapter! Hope you enjoyed the first two, thank you for all your kind kudos and comments!


	3. Chapter 3

_…Open your eyes…  
…Wake up, Link…_

     So he did, completely confused.

     The voice gave him directions to pick up a “Sheikah Slate”, saying that it would _guide him_.

     He doubted anything could.

     Well, at least it opened the door in front of him.

     There were warmer clothes waiting for him- thank goodness, he was starting to get a bit cold.

     He couldn’t help but notice as he pulled on the trousers that there was something on his ankle.

     Some kind of flower, it seemed.

     But it could be investigated later…once he had some semblance of a plan.  
  
_Link…_  
_You are the light…my light…_  
_The light that must shine upon Hyrule once again.  
Now, go…_

* * *

     He felt terrible bothering the old man at his campfire, but he had _no idea_ what in the world he was supposed to do.

     “Excuse me…”

     “Oh, hello, young man, what can I- _wait, is that-_ ”

     The old man gestured at Link’s ankle, clearly surprised.

     “Er, this tattoo? I’m not sure how I got it…I don’t remember anything, really…”

     Honestly was always the best policy, right?

     “You-you don’t remember your soulmate tattoo?”

     Link could only shake his head.

     “Well, practically everybody has one. They appear in matching pairs with the owner’s soulmate’s. That flower is yours. One hundred years ago, I would have done _anything_ to find a silent princess tattoo just like that…”

_Silent princess._ So that was the flower’s name…

     “Why? Is that a good thing?”

     “That, son, is something you have to find out for yourself.”

     “...son? Are you my father?”

     It was a ridiculous question, but how else was he supposed to know?

     “Ohoho, of course not! But…with that tattoo…if the Calamity had not stolen my Zelda, I suspect I would have been…anyway, go on, help yourself to one of these baked apples…”

_…Zelda._

     There was something so familiar, _warm_ , about that name.

     So much for conversation…it left him even _more_ confused than before.

     At least he got one thing out of it- the apple.

     It was sweet, but…he couldn’t help but think that there was something better out there.

     And that was when he remembered-

      _He preferred pumpkins._

     It was the most useless memory, but he would take what he could get.

     “Where-where can I find a pumpkin?”

     “Fortified pumpkins are the specialty of Kakariko Village- along with swift carrots- but I’m afraid that is a great deal away.”

     Those words were enough to lead to something else.

      _This is for Zelda’s birthday, correct? You will need swift carrots, of course. We can start baking once you have them. Now, I know you like pumpkin pie more than carrot cake, and lucky for you, I have extra ingredients, so make sure to get some fortified pumpkins as well!_

     There was that name again.

     “Did…did Zelda like carrot cake?”

     Maybe that was the wrong thing to say; it turned the old man’s smile sad. “It was her favorite.”

* * *

_Remember…_  
_Try…try to remember…_  
You have been asleep for the past 100 years.  
When the beast regains its true power, the world will face its end.  
You must hurry, Link…  
_Before it’s too late…_

     It seemed that he had a goal now.

     One that sounded impossible, but it was still better than nothing.

     But despite being told to remember, nothing came back to him. So, he was left to make a deal with the old man on top of the ‘tower’ and head for the ‘shrine’, without any other flashbacks.

     That is, until he saw the Guardian.

_“Take a look!” a young man was boasting as the Guardian followed him into the room, and destroyed the target in the middle of it with a beam when he snapped his fingers._

_“You’re making far too big of a scene, Robbie, it’s soooo not snappy…” the woman next to him scolded, but there was a hint of a smile behind it._

_The blue cherries on their hands were identical, and Link wondered if that was what the man had meant by ‘matching’._

_Another- slightly younger- girl had a disapproving frown, but a fourth was clapping._

_“This…this is amazing! How in the world did you figure out how to control it?”_

_“It was no trouble for the first and foremost Guardian researcher- just a little bit of studying the ancient texts-”_

_“- with translation help from yours truly, the best girlfriend in Hyrule.”_

_“You flatter yourselves…both of you, but ESPECIALLY Purah. At least Robbie gave himself a half-justified title.”_

_“Hey! I’m your older sister, you can’t talk to me like that…”_

_“I can, have, and will continue to.”_

_“Oh, come on, Impaaaaaa!!!!”_

     Link didn’t recognize any of them, but he committed their names to memory.  
There was _Impa_ and _Purah_ and _Robbie_ and…

_Zelda_ , he knew, somehow, even though they hadn’t mentioned her name.

     None of them had seemed to fear the Guardian- in fact, they’d controlled it!

     Maybe he would be able to do the same with the one near the shrine…

     Its power could be a good help to him…

     …or so he thought.

     Before he knew it, it was projecting a target, straight on him.

     He didn’t stick around- somehow, he could tell that it would kill him for sure- just ran as quickly and as far away as he could.

     How had that “Robbie” managed to even get close to it?

* * *

      It wasn’t surprising that the old man was more than he seemed. At his age, most people would find paragliding, boar hunting, and wood chopping- all routine for him, apparently- impossible.

     However, his true identity as the spirit of the Last King of Hyrule _was_ unexpected.

     King Rhoam told him of an ancient evil, a hundred year old failure, four long-lost Champions and Beasts, and a princess- Zelda, the voice that had been guiding him.

      _Seek out Impa,_ he said, and _finally_ , Link had a specific point to aim for. And one that connected to a person in the memory from earlier!

     If all his days were this productive, maybe- just maybe- _Defeat Ganon_ wouldn’t be such a tall order.

* * *

      Paya was shy (sweet, but always nervous around others), and when she led Link into her grandmother’s room, he expected the two to be at least a _bit_ similar.

     He was completely wrong.

     Impa was perhaps the most serious person he’d met (in the short time since he’d woke up, so that didn’t mean much). She recited the history of 10,000 and 100 years ago, the princess’ message to free the Divine Beasts, and instructions to find her sister, all with the same expression and voice.

     It wasn’t until he was turning to leave that her tone changed.

     “ _Link_. Do you know what that tattoo on your ankle means?”

     “I know that it’s a soulmate tattoo, and it’s of a silent princess, but I’m not sure whose it matches with.”

     “I thought as much. Well, you see…that was Princess Zelda’s favorite flower.”

* * *

      “Be careful of the Yiga Clan,” Dorian warned him. “They’ll most certainly try to ambush you at some point…they killed my wife, and her best friend, Paya’s mother…stay away from passing ‘travelers’, they could be Yiga in disguise.”

     He didn’t doubt that advice. The name alone gave him the urge to _look behind you! Make sure she’s safe!_

     But who was _she?_

      _She has to be the princess,_ he realized, halfway through turning around, and flashbacks of the desert confirmed it.

* * *

     “Well then…let’s go ahead and restore those Sheikah Slate runes for you! Give me a nice SNAP!”

     It was a bit jarring to see the same researcher years younger than she had been in his memory, but…well, it did suit her attitude.

     “Hmm…yes, there are also some old landscape photos stored in the Slate’s album. I knew Princess Zelda had made frequent use of the Camera feature, but this…”

      _This was a bit more than expected._

     “Hey, Linky! You were Princess Zelda’s appointed knight, which means…there’s a strong possibility that you accompanied her to the places where these photos were taken! True, the ‘lost memory’ thing could be a problem if you want to find them…but don’t lose hope! It just means these pictures could be the missing pieces to help restore it!”

     ‘ _Could be_ ’ had better be the case.

     “...oh, and speaking of pieces! There’s just one more thing I need from you! Ancient materials! If you happen upon any, feel free to bring them to me…or, I suppose, my… _colleague_ …Robbie, in Akkala…”

     “Robbie isn’t just your colleague.”

     “Er, what-”

     “I don’t have many memories back yet, but I remember that blue cherry tattoo.”

     Purah didn’t even try to deny it. “Which memory was it? Hopefully, one of the better ones…”

     “You two burst into the castle with a Guardian, and started bragging when you were asked how you got it to work-”

     “-and Impa scolded us…Yes, yes, that was a snappy day. But you know, we were only a couple for a month or so. After the Calamity, we started to argue more and more often- I thought we should look into the Sheikah Slate, try to prepare for your awakening, but he wouldn’t give up on the Guardians, even though they were so dangerous…it was a recipe for disaster. It’s all research now, I haven’t visited or talked to him for any other reason in…let’s see… twenty years- ever since he married my _assistant_.”

     “...Symin?”

     “Symin _wishes_.”

     “I can hear you, you know!”

     “Just a joke! It was _Jerrin_ , not Symin. I haven’t seen her in ages, either…”

     “But…why didn’t you try to stop them, you were _soulmates_ …”

     “It doesn’t always work that way.”

      ~~But he already knew that.~~

* * *

     Link’s first horse riding attempt was a disaster. His attempted target bucked him off and ran away, leaving him in the dust.  
     His second, third, and fourth tries didn’t turn out any better.

     He was about to give up when an idea came to him. Instead of trying to mount the fifth horse, he placed a fresh apple right in front of it.

     The instinct had been right- after it had eaten its fill, it started to follow him around.

     On the path to the nearest stable, he stopped suddenly, making his horse neigh in protest.

     But there was nothing there, so he fed it a carrot to apologize.

      _Strange_ …he _thought_ he’d seen a pure white horse following them for a moment.

* * *

     Sidon was _not_ what he expected when the other Zora told them to find their prince.

     For one thing, his attitude wasn’t exactly typical for royalty. He usually seemed carefree, but could switch to full dedication in a matter of moments- a little bit like the lighting bolt on his back.

     That, and he smiled too often.

      _Far_ too often.

     It was probably why he had such a large fan group in the Domain…

     All that positivity, even if it seemed forced at times, made him…well, fun to be around.

      _Just as his sister had been,_ Link was starting to realize.

_“We Zora have a little game we like to play with these. They’re made out of woven armoranth, so they’re really hard to break, and when they’re dried out, they become perfect for swimming and catching! Do you want to join in?”_

_“Sure! Sounds like fun!”_

_“All right! Kodah, Bazz, pass one here!”_

_“Here you go!”_

_The only problem? Bazz’s throw was a bit too energetic, so the ball sailed above Mipha’s open arms…_

_…straight into Link’s forehead._

_“Are you all right?” Mipha exclaimed- the only one of them who was actually concerned. Kodah was giggling, Bazz seemed guilty, and Link was laughing it off._

_“Yes, yes, I’m fine!”_

_“Okay, then- on to the next round!”_

* * *

_Hello, Link.  
_

_All this time, my hope was to see you once more._

_Please be careful, and do not hesitate to use my healing power whenever you need it._

     Even after all these years, Mipha was still worrying about him. He couldn’t decide whether that was comforting or depressing.

     …maybe a bit of both.

* * *

     Yunobo must be _terrified_ every time he went into the cannon, but he kept on coming back.

     Whenever the Boss called, he was there.

     If that wasn’t bravery, of the highest Goron standard, then what was?

     His grandfather would be _so proud_ of him. _And_ probably try to get him to work in the mines...

_“Don’t forget your Cobble Crushers! We’re going to look for diamonds all the way up on the summit and-oh, hi, little guy! Didn’t see you there. Be extra careful if you’re coming with us today!”_

_Link agreed, and as he followed them, Daruk kept on calling out instructions._

_“Watch out for that bou- ok, got rid of it.”_

_“Lava to your left, don’t become Hylian roast…”_

_The group of fifteen or so Gorons and one Hylain finally reached the summit, where they worked until sunset._

_“Nice haul today, goro! Even the little guy gof plenty of ore!”_

* * *

_Great work, little guy!_

_I feel like I should apologize. I was doing my best to protect Hyrule when that thing got the best of me. Sorry about that…_

_The good news is that Rudania is finally back under our control. That means our century-old Ganon beat-down plan can finally go into effect!_

     Daruk’s enthusiasm was contagious, and it gave Link hope for the final battle as well.

* * *

     “If you want me to help you get into Vah Medoh, you’ll have to prove yourself in the Flight Range first.”

      _Prove yourself._

     It turned out that Teba’s challenge was a lot simpler than his predecessor’s.

     “Not bad, but if you use your other hand to hold the paraglider, you can changes direction more easily, and you really shouldn’t be using that heavy of a bow in the air-”

_“What in HYLIA’S name are you DOING?”_

_“Practicing archery-”_

_“No. Archery is an ART, and right now, you…you-you’re desecrating my Flight Range!!!”_

_“Desecrating?!”_

_“Yes. Exactly. So, I must ask you to leave at once.”_

_“Do I have another option?”_

_“Of course not.”_

_“This is ridiculous, I NEED to get better with the bow if I want to fight Ganon…”_

_“You mean, ‘if I want to impress the princess’.”_

_“Why does EVERYBODY assume that?”_

_“In any case…there may be one way that you can achieve your goal.”_

_“Which is?”_

_It wasn’t a good idea, Revali KNEW it, but he reserved the right to make mistakes sometimes. “I can teach you.”_

_Visitors to the range or the nearby mountains that day heard a variety of loud complaints from a certain Rito, which slowly gave way to grudging praise._

_Well, a ratio of 75% praise to 25% complaints, anyway._

* * *

  _Not that it matters to me, but you’ve finally stopped covering that tattoo of yours, I was wondering how long it would take…though I didn’t think that it would be 100 years…_

_Of course, you’ll go to fight Ganon, then. You may want to hurry, the princess has been waiting an awful long time…_

     It seemed like Link hadn’t known what to make of Revali 100 years ago, but his present self realized that the Rito was simply jealous. He had a funny way of showing it, though…

* * *

      The Gerudo refused to let a ‘voe’ into town, but he _needed_ to meet with their chief!

     As he paced outside the gates, talking to every traveler he saw, he had the strangest feeling of deja vu.

     It wasn’t until he caught a glimpse of the chief (the gold hairpiece made it pretty obvious), sand seal surfing in the distance that he understood why.

     100 years ago, he had run into this same problem, and a different chief had helped him solve it.

      _“The guards said that there was a Hylian voe outside the gates. I thought it would be you. Zelda told me about what happened earlier...did you really follow her all this way?”_

_“I’m here, aren’t I?”_

_“True, true. I suppose anyone would worry if their soulmate went on a trip like that- oh, don’t give me that surprised look.”_

_“How did you-”_

_“Never mind that. I‘m actually here to give you something that’ll let you see her.”_

_It was a light, wrapped parcel, he wasn’t quite sure what was inside._

_“Wear these, and you’ll definitely fool the guards. Good luck!”_

_And with a wink, Urbosa left._

* * *

      Riju and Bularia were sharing smiles, soup, and of course, their shield tattoos when Link came into the throne room with the helm that they’d asked for (sneaking through the Yiga hideout had been a breeze, and their leader ended up knocking himself out).

     “Wherever did you find this recipe? It’s delicious!”

     “Ripped it straight from Ashai’s lesson plans!” Bularia giggled, and it occurred to him that she _might_ not be _quite_ as grown up as she pretended to be.

     The soup was still steaming, and the fruits in it looked perfect…especially the centerpiece- hearty radishes.

     He had seen this kind of dish before...  

     He had enjoyed- no, _loved_ it…  
  
      _Creamy heart soup…_

_“I…I just want to say that I’m sorry for how I treated you up to now.”_

_“Is the one true hero, wielder of the sword that seals the darkness, really afraid of something as harmless as a cute little frog?”_

_“I get it…your horse is a glutton, just like her rider!”_

_“Why have we not talked like this before?”_

     And why can’t it happen again?

     “State your business here!” one of the guards ordered, snapping him out of it. He presented them with the Thunder Helm, but his thoughts were still elsewhere.

     All the way in Hyrule Castle, that is.

* * *

      There wasn’t even a hint of bitterness or regret in Urbosa’s voice.

_This is how things had to happen._  
No one need carry blame.  
So please, make it clear so Zelda understands that. Tell her to shed any worries…  
…and that I couldn’t be more proud of her. I know her mother would feel the same.

     Soon, he would be able to deliver that message. Naboris was the last Divine Beast to be freed- so this long journey was almost at an end.

* * *

     The leaders of all four peoples had said to look for his sword in a forest. Nobody told him _which_ forest, though.

     He spent hours trekking through southern Faron before realizing that there was a whole area north of the castle that he hadn’t explored yet.

     Of course, that area included the Lost Woods- where the thick fog made things too dark to see without a torch.

     Following the sparks led to spirited Koroks and bright green trees- as well as the Master Sword, guarded by the largest tree of all.

     The sword shared a special memory with him- showed Zelda’s _faith_ that he would come back, and he made a silent promise never to betray it.

* * *

      Finding the sites of the first twelve memories was easy enough- with the help of friendly Pikango, who happened to know the land of Hyrule extremely well.  
     He was also starting to recover more and more random memories on the way- some made him smile, while others brought him to tears.

     (Memories of traveling with Zelda were the happiest, but bittersweet)

     When he went back to Kakariko Village to report to Impa, Paya offered him carrot cake.

     “It-it’s one of our village’s specialties, you know!”

     He thanked her for it, but he couldn’t take more than a bite of it without feeling sick.

     Besides, he was only there for one reason. Impa showed him the last picture, of the last memory- and fortunately (or not) he knew exactly where it was.

* * *

_“No, STOP!!!!!!!!”_

     Despite the power finally awakening, the Link in his memory still collapsed, and he realized with horror that this was _his own death._

     Watching Zelda trying desperately to get him up, bursting into tears when he didn’t, and crying even harder when she saw his tattoo was just too much.

     When the whole terrible flashback faded- quickly, thank Hylia - it left behind tears in his eyes, and even stronger determination.

     Calamity Ganon had better watch out.

* * *

     No Guardian posed a threat to him. No Moblin dared follow him through the halls. No Lynel left the gatehouse to give chase.

     The Champions were his _friends_ , Zelda was his _soulmate_ , and the Calamity that had destroyed those bonds would _pay_.

     His path to the castle Sanctum- home of Ganon -was relatively straightforward. And so was the way to victory.

     With the four Divine Beasts firing their lasers at the beast the moment it appeared, the power of the Master Sword reacting to Malice, and the Champions’ abilities to boot, it was a one-sided fight.

     Soon enough, Ganon had been beaten back- only to reform again.

     ‘Dark Beast Ganon’ couldn’t be stopped with anything other than pure Light Arrows, so Link was given the Bow of Light.

     All he had to do was hit the glowing weak spots (thank you for the practice, Revali and Teba!) while on his horse.

     The arrows flew true, and with one last shot to the eye, Ganon was defeated.

     Zelda wasted no time in gathering her power to seal it away. Hyrule would be safe for quite a while…

     It had taken 100 years, but the clouds around the castle were slowly parting.

     “Thank you, Link…the hero of Hyrule.”

     He could definitely get used to that title.

     “May I ask…do you really remember me?”

     “Let’s see- silent princesses, carrot cake, creamy heart soup, ancient tech, research, Sheikah Slate, Champions, white horse, my soulmate- _of course I do._ ”

* * *

 

* * *

      “We’ll make our way to Zora’s Domain. Divine Beast Vah Ruta…looks like it stopped working.” Zelda decided, checking the Slate.

     “Do you know why?” Link asked, giving a wink to…a wall?

     “I don’t, that’s why I wanted to go-”

     “Before that, can you guess?”

     “Not with any evidence…”

     “Are you _sure_?”

     “No, I don’t even understand your question-”

     “Then Hyrule really is lucky that we’re back to help you.”

     “Sorry, little bird, but I’ve got to agree with Revali on this one.”

     “Yeah, it should be pretty obvious why Ruta was off.”

     “Because I told it to rest.”  
  
     She only heard their voices at first, but when she turned around- there they were.  
     The Goddess did answer her prayers, after all.

     “Everyone…you-you’re back!!!”

     “Back and better than ever!”

     “Back and ready to eat rock roasts!”

     “Back w-”

     “Back and tired of hearing Revali brag about his new tattoo.”

     “Back with a _fire arrow,_ and _happy_ about it, despite Urbosa’s objection.”

     “You might want to check Kakariko Village for that tattoo…”

     “Wait- you know the-”

     “Barely.”

     “While the discussion about Revali’s soulmate is interesting and all, I would like to point out that Link and Zelda are doing a great job repairing the castle.”

     “Thank you! There’s still plenty left to do, though.”

     “It’ll go a lot faster with us Champions helping you!”

     “Yes, I-I still can’t believe it, I really am so glad to have you back…”

     Zelda was close to crying. The hug Urbosa gave her had never felt so warm…  
  
     “I think I’ve got something to commemorate this…in my bag, somewhere…maybe this is it…”

     “PUMPKIN PIE?! LINK?!”

     “oh, oops, wrong thing, here it is.”

     All five of them gasped when they saw it- a slice of carrot cake topped with- what else?

     A single silent princess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So! It’s finally over! Thank you all for staying with this story, and giving kudos and comments! I’m so glad people love this AU as much as I do ;)


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